By road, Yurimaguas and Jaén are about 356 miles (573 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 23 min of driving.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Due to road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
| Distance by road | 356 mi (573 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 23 min |
| Main roads, in order | PE-5NB → PE-5N |
| Regions on the route | Loreto, San Martín, Amazonas, Cajamarca |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Yurimaguas–Jaén drive in a few lines
PE-5N (276 mi) and PE-5NB (74 mi) carry about 98% of the 356 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Loreto, San Martín, Amazonas, Cajamarca. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Yurimaguas to Jaén: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Loreto |
| PE-5NB | 1–75 | 74 | Loreto, San Martín |
| local roads | 75–80 | 5 | San Martín |
| PE-5N | 80–356 | 276 | San Martín, Amazonas, Cajamarca |
- Mile 16 of this route: Loreto → San Martín (region line)
- Mile 214 of this route: San Martín → Amazonas (region line)
- Mile 348 of this route: Amazonas → Cajamarca (region line)
Stops between Yurimaguas and Jaén
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catarata de Ahuashiyacu (mile 70), Regional Museum of the National University of San Martin (mile 77), St. James Cathedral, Moyobamba (mile 147)
- Nature and outdoors: Catarata de Ahuashiyacu (mile 70), Catarata de Huacamaillo (mile 82), Yumbilla Falls (mile 269), Catarata La Chinata (mile 270)
- Museums and history: Regional Museum of the National University of San Martin (mile 77), Museo Chanka y de la Diversidad Lamista (mile 93), St. James Cathedral, Moyobamba (mile 147), Wilca (mile 286)
Catarata de Ahuashiyacu
About 14 kilometers from Tarapoto along the road toward Yurimaguas, Catarata de Ahuashiyacu is a series of three waterfalls in Peru's San Martín region.
Regional Museum of the National University of San Martin
Run by the National University of San Martín in Tarapoto, this regional museum holds ethnographic and archaeological collections from the Peruvian Upper Amazon, including the 450-year-old Shimbillo-Chazuta mummy.
Catarata de Huacamaillo
Huacamaillo waterfall drops in the San Antonio district of San Martín, Peru, in a ravine that feeds the Cumbaza River.
Museo Chanka y de la Diversidad Lamista
Museo Chanka y de la Diversidad Lamista is a Peruvian museum in Lamas district, in the San Martín department.
St. James Cathedral, Moyobamba
The Cathedral of St. James, also known as Moyobamba Cathedral, is the main church of the Territorial Prelature of Moyobamba and the San Martín department.
Yumbilla Falls
Near the town of Cuispes in Peru's Amazonas region, Yumbilla Falls became internationally known after a 2007 survey by the Geographical Institute of Peru.
Catarata La Chinata
With a drop of 580 meters, Catarata La Chinata ranks as Peru's fourth-highest waterfall, set in the cloud forest of Cuispes District in the Amazonas region.
Wilca
Wilca is an archaeological site in Peru's Amazonas Region, in the eastern part of Cajaruro District, Utcubamba Province, near the border with Bongará Province.
Área de conservación regional Bosques Secos Interandinos de Cutervo
The Bosques Secos Interandinos de Cutervo regional conservation area is a protected area in Peru's Cajamarca department.
Arriving in Jaén
Montegrande
In Jaén District, Cajamarca, Montegrande is an archaeological site with a spiral temple or enclosure built around 3000 BC.
More drives to Jaén
From Yurimaguas to other places in Peru
- Yurimaguas to Moyobamba
- Yurimaguas to Juanjuí
- Yurimaguas to Aguaytía
- Yurimaguas to Cerro de Pasco
- Yurimaguas to Celendín
- Yurimaguas to Cajabamba
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Yurimaguas to Jaén?
About 8 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 356 miles.
What is the driving distance from Yurimaguas to Jaén?
About 356 miles (573 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Yurimaguas to Jaén drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Yurimaguas to Jaén?
In order: PE-5NB and PE-5N. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Yurimaguas to Jaén?
Closest to the road: Catarata de Ahuashiyacu (waterfall, mile 70, 0.3 mi from the route); Regional Museum of the National University of San Martin (museum, mile 77, 0.2 mi from the route); St. James Cathedral, Moyobamba (cathedral, mile 147, 0.9 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.